Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania 4K UHD Review

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Let’s talk broadly about Marvel, and simultaneously, the mass of stuff that makes up Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

After the first 10-minutes (and who knows, maybe some of that too), not a single shot of Quantumania goes CG-less. It’s common to complain about the computer generated deluge at the major studio level, but this is still a new-ish phenomenon, and the scripts cannot cope. Gone are the human elements, the drama, and characters. What happens to Scott (Paul Rudd) or a Thor, or Doctor Strange is irrelevant, because at this stage, software can draw up anything to a point of detriment.

Quantumania looks as if cobbled together by AI told to, “make a Marvel movie.”

It takes some 12-minutes to see all of Quantumania’s credits. A majority of that time is spent looking at texture artists, modelers, designers, and animators. Kudos to them for their work, but Quantumania looks as if cobbled together by AI told to, “make a Marvel movie.”

With the introduction of the multiverse, Marvel lost their human angle. Iron Man was a reckless billionaire who over the course of numerous films, became a hero; despite playing a protagonist, he wasn’t a hero until his sacrifice. Captain America fought for his country as he saw fit, battling an invasive government and saving foreign lands. Scott/Ant-Man fights for his daughter’s well-being. In Quantumania, this world-altering cataclysm changes nothing. It’s the same movie.

Put up clips from Guardians of the Galaxy, the previous Doctor Strange, or Thor, then place them next to Quantumania. They look exactly alike, and their stories become so hopelessly lost in the visual chaos, the action itself ceases to matter.

Quantumania takes place in a miniaturized alien world, but like those other recent sequels, these worlds no longer have rules. Anything can happen, and because of that, stakes no longer exist. A screenwriter can envision a giant ant colony saving the world or a random super laser, and the visual effects team will put it on screen. There’s little to no explanation of what’s happening, how, or why – these things just occur. Yes, it’s fantasy fiction, wild and uncontrolled, but that’s not conducive to any dramatic arc because an audience can no longer relate.

It’s a logic flaw in comic fiction. Think of Power Rangers for a moment – it’s hilarious to think they can instantly turn into giant robots, but for some reason try to fight at normal size. If Doctor Strange can slice through the eyeball of a city-attacking monster, why doesn’t he do that from the start? That applies to Quantumania too, with Scott Lang’s ever-changing size and technological repertoire. Without an inherent human, grounded element, the whole thing is a waste of visual splendor.

It isn’t about being tired of the genre, but the inability to look – even in the most bland, dialog-driven first act – genuine. Marvel films just aren’t fun anymore.

Video

Blindingly bright, Disney’s HDR presentation is among their most intense. Highlights erupt in a dazzling, pure white, slicing through any shadows. Visual effects sparkle and reflections from metal (even just cars parked on the street) push limits. Quantumania is among the brighter, more dynamic discs in the Marvel fold.

Splendid color fills every frame, favoring warmth. The quantum realm is a brilliant spectacle, filled with impossible levels of color. Blues, reds, purples, and everything else look remarkable. Quantumania makes full use of the format’s potential.

Not impressive is texture and detail. It’s fine, but often rudimentary and bland. Faces look blank  more than they do textured. CG effects, rendered at 2K, appears softer, if defined well. Quantumania appears glossy until digging deeper.

Audio

Dolby Atmos performs decently enough, bass adequate, but mild even at high volume. Disney seemed to be turning away from their reduced range audio mixes, but Quantumania brings it back in force.

Surround effects perform better. Action scenes bounce between the speakers with superb separation between the channels. While Atmos effects barely elicit a whimper much of the time, when used, they can stand out. Rear channels standout for their positioning, willing to move dialog from the center as much as any action scenes.

Extras

Director Peyton Reed joins writer Jeff Loveness on a commentary track. Two generic featurettes, a gag reel, and deleted scenes make up the rest on the Blu-ray.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 47 full resolution uncompressed 4K screen shots grabbed directly from the UHD: